The conference is going to be a meat grinder this year

[ssckelley]

Brutal schedule. The BIG is idiotic for unilaterally going to 20 game schedule. Conference is too tough for that. 16-18 yearly wins will be an accomplishment

Why? You would rather see more games against the likes of Kennesaw State? I love that they went to a 20 game conference schedule, I want to see more games against good competition. If you are worried about tournament bids the stronger schedule helps with that. An 18 win team playing a 20 game conference schedule is better than a 20 win team in a 16 game conference schedule with games loaded up against cupcakes.

 

[koralakers]

Why? You would rather see more games against the likes of Kennesaw State? I love that they went to a 20 game conference schedule, I want to see more games against good competition. If you are worried about tournament bids the stronger schedule helps with that. An 18 win team playing a 20 game conference schedule is better than a 20 win team in a 16 game conference schedule with games loaded up against cupcakes.

If the BIG was one of the lesser P6 basketball conferences, I could see the case to play more. But the BIG is probably the best conference. If you don’t make the tourney, you hang your hat on your record. I guess just jealous of the teams that get to pile up wins against cupcakes. Plus IA is usually in the bottom third for recruiting. Just makes it that much tougher to scrap and claw for W’s

 

[ssckelley]

If the BIG was one of the lesser P6 basketball conferences, I could see the case to play more. But the BIG is probably the best conference. If you don’t make the tourney, you hang your hat on your record. I guess just jealous of the teams that get to pile up wins against cupcakes. Plus IA is usually in the bottom third for recruiting. Just makes it that much tougher to scrap and claw for W’s

But if they can’t beat the teams in their conference then they don’t belong in the tournament anyway. That’s my viewpoint.

 

[mopkins]

I kinda assume Michigan State gets their act together and runs away with the B1G...maybe Ohio State puts up a fight.... but rest of the standings seem completely up for grabs. Iowa could finish 3rd or 12th.

 

[GVGiant44]

As B1G play gets really serious, beginning tonight, it looks to me like the teams are breaking into some well-defined groups. I have Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State & Ohio State (in no particular order) as the top 4, the teams that will get the BTT double byes. I have Rutgers sitting alone as the 7th-best team - & a true bubble NCAA team. Nebraska & Northwestern will bring up the rear this season (#'s 13 & 14). That leaves Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana & Purdue fighting for spots 8-12, two of whom will have to play in the BTT on Wednesday. And I'm sorry - unless something changes, none of those five teams will be headed to the NCAA tournament, IMHO.

That leaves Iowa & Penn State fighting for #5 & #6, leaving our series with them, including Saturday's game, as critical. Because a couple of key injuries to one of the top four teams could, if everything breaks right, send one of these two teams into that coveted top-four slot.

But I'm sorry. I have no feel whatsoever for what a Bohannon-less team will be able to do at the Palestra on Saturday. We'll just have to watch and see.

 

[NikeHawk21]

As B1G play gets really serious, beginning tonight, it looks to me like the teams are breaking into some well-defined groups. I have Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State & Ohio State (in no particular order) as the top 4, the teams that will get the BTT double byes. I have Rutgers sitting alone as the 7th-best team - & a true bubble NCAA team. Nebraska & Northwestern will bring up the rear this season (#'s 13 & 14). That leaves Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana & Purdue fighting for spots 8-12, two of whom will have to play in the BTT on Wednesday. And I'm sorry - unless something changes, none of those five teams will be headed to the NCAA tournament, IMHO.

That leaves Iowa & Penn State fighting for #5 & #6, leaving our series with them, including Saturday's game, as critical. Because a couple of key injuries to one of the top four teams could, if everything breaks right, send one of these two teams into that coveted top-four slot.

But I'm sorry. I have no feel whatsoever for what a Bohannon-less team will be able to do at the Palestra on Saturday. We'll just have to watch and see.

Isaiah Livers is out indefinitely for Michigan. That could be huge.

I have a tough time believing Iowa and Penn State are noticeably better than Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Sure we happened to be ranked but that can be a product of a few factors. Rutgers is clearly better than those teams? I’m not sure about that at all.

A lot of it comes down to schedules and stealing a few on the road. I see 4-12 as completely up for grabs.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I kinda assume Michigan State gets their act together and runs away with the B1G...maybe Ohio State puts up a fight.... but rest of the standings seem completely up for grabs. Iowa could finish 3rd or 12th.

Honestly every team outside of Ohio State seems to have noticeable weaknesses. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see Sparty win it though with their experience.

You’d probably have better luck projecting conference finishes of teams 4-12 throwing darts than you would anything else.

 

[bogeyman]

Fran melts down when the officiating is blatantly screwing us bad. That hasn't happened yet this year. When it inevitably does, he will melt down, and rightfully so.

If you justify the behavior, like following referees through tunnels etc then we'll just agree to disagree. Most of the times we have lost is because of horrible defense, lack of using timeouts, lack of a point guard etc.... not the referees. VA just won a national title with a Coach that never has to act this way, we haven't even been to a sweet 16 in 10 years of meltdowns. Plenty of coaches "work" the refs, I agree you have to sometimes, but they do it without getting suspended or kicked out of games. There will always be bad calls, getting your guys to play through adversity is one of the big keys to coaching. I think he has done a better job of that this year, kudos to him. Hopefully he can continue to through a crazy tough BIG schedule.

 

[PCHawk]

If you justify the behavior, like following referees through tunnels etc then we'll just agree to disagree. Most of the times we have lost is because of horrible defense, lack of using timeouts, lack of a point guard etc.... not the referees. VA just won a national title with a Coach that never has to act this way, we haven't even been to a sweet 16 in 10 years of meltdowns. Plenty of coaches "work" the refs, I agree you have to sometimes, but they do it without getting suspended or kicked out of games. There will always be bad calls, getting your guys to play through adversity is one of the big keys to coaching. I think he has done a better job of that this year, kudos to him. Hopefully he can continue to through a crazy tough BIG schedule.

Well like I said, he hasn't really had a reason to melt down this year. If you hate Fran acting like that so much, you might want to wait to praise him until after we get a royal screw job from the refs and he doesn't blow up.

 

[trj]

I kinda assume Michigan State gets their act together and runs away with the B1G...maybe Ohio State puts up a fight.... but rest of the standings seem completely up for grabs. Iowa could finish 3rd or 12th.

I am thinking the top 4 will work itself out(MSU,OSU, Maryland and Michigan). 5-12 is where it is up for grabs. This is why the Penn St. game is so important. Not so much winning or losing, it is about getting a gauge of where Iowa is at. Are they near 5 or are they near 12? Imo, PSU is near 5, if Iowa can compete and doesn't get worked on a "neutral site" we are looking at Iowa finishing somewhere 5-8. I know it is just one game, but PSU is just a notch below those top tier teams. It is a great litmus test for Iowa.

 

[mopkins]

I am thinking the top 4 will work itself out(MSU,OSU, Maryland and Michigan). 5-12 is where it is up for grabs. This is why the Penn St. game is so important. Not so much winning or losing, it is about getting a gauge of where Iowa is at. Are they near 5 or are they near 12? Imo, PSU is near 5, if Iowa can compete and doesn't get worked on a "neutral site" we are looking at Iowa finishing somewhere 5-8. I know it is just one game, but PSU is just a notch below those top tier teams. It is a great litmus test for Iowa.

Was reading Deace's article on SI and he was saying that the metrics show that Penn State has been cery lucky this year so far...along with Indiana

Seems Penn State usually gives Iowa fits though.

 

[trj]

Was reading Deace's article on SI and he was saying that the metrics show that Penn State has been cery lucky this year so far...along with Indiana

Seems Penn State usually gives Iowa fits though.

My assessment of PSU has been strictly the eyeball test. I haven’t even looked at the analytics. Just feel like they will use the Michigan blueprint to beat Iowa.

 

[NikeHawk21]

The reason nobody wins on the road is the refs favor the home team far too much. Watched some of the first half of the MSU game and Sparty was getting a ton of home cooking.

Flipped to the Purdue Minny game and the refs cost Minny a huge road win. Minny got jobbed.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Was reading Deace's article on SI and he was saying that the metrics show that Penn State has been cery lucky this year so far...along with Indiana

Seems Penn State usually gives Iowa fits though.

When I took a quick glance at PSU’s stats I saw a low 3p% and not a great assist to turnover ratio. Those are often two pretty telling stats.

With that said I’m sure PSU will shoot the lights out against us.

 

[GVGiant44]

With that said I’m sure PSU will shoot the lights out against us.

Having the game at the Palestra is huge for us - it puts us in a neutral court where we can (and will) do much better. I like our chances against Penn State this year. We'll see what else happens - our early schedule is tough.

 

[eyekwah]

If you sort out the schedule by first eliminating games you probably have a low chance of winning then away at Maryland and away at Michigan State are good candidates. If you look at teams Iowa only plays once;OSU, @MSU, WI, RU, @IU and @NW, even the OSU game is a candidate for a win since it is at home. There is also a chance that @IU can be had. I don't think IU is that good. The unpredictable is team health and stamina. Iowa cannot afford anymore injuries. In the end all the remaining home games are winnable and all but two of the remaining road games are winnable. It the same story every year, win at home and pick up some road wins.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Having the game at the Palestra is huge for us - it puts us in a neutral court where we can (and will) do much better. I like our chances against Penn State this year. We'll see what else happens - our early schedule is tough.

Actually the beginning part of this schedule is probably the most manageable. Play Nebraska and NW on the road but still games we should be favored in and then have Rutgers and Wisconsin at home. We should be no worse than a 5 point dog in any of our first 7 games and should be favored in at least 4 games.

The final 7 games are all against potential tourney teams including road games at Indy, Minny, MSU, and Illinois, all games we’d be expected to lose. Add to that OSU, PSU, and Purdue at home that’s an absolutely brutal stretch. 3-4 in that stretch would be amazing.

 

[mopkins]

The reason nobody wins on the road is the refs favor the home team far too much. Watched some of the first half of the MSU game and Sparty was getting a ton of home cooking.

Flipped to the Purdue Minny game and the refs cost Minny a huge road win. Minny got jobbed.

That Carr dude from Minnesota imploded though as well. I thought that cost Minny the game more than the refs. He made a TON of stupid ass plays at the end of regulation and overtime. 7 turnovers and quite a few just stupid decisions.

Of course he also had 27 points so I guess you could make the argument that he helped get them to where they were in the first place, but still. He coughed up the ball like 3 times at the end when Purdue was just trying to foul to stay in the game.

 

[NikeHawk21]

That Carr dude from Minnesota imploded though as well. I thought that cost Minny the game more than the refs. He made a TON of stupid ass plays at the end of regulation and overtime. 7 turnovers and quite a few just stupid decisions.

Of course he also had 27 points so I guess you could make the argument that he helped get them to where they were in the first place, but still. He coughed up the ball like 3 times at the end when Purdue was just trying to foul to stay in the game.

Carr made some bone headed plays no question, but the one turnover when they were trying to foul was a foul. Guy hacked him on the arm and it wasn’t called. If the ref makes the right call that game is done.

Carr is a boom or bust player, he was bust against Iowa and I don’t think it would really matter because we dominated them that night. The way they’ve played lately though makes me think they get us up at the barn later in the year.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I'll be first to admit that I haven't watched a ton of other B1G teams but I like how this Iowa team plays D and believe that will lead to a team that competes night in/night out.